LAST UPDATE | 15 Aug

US INVESTIGATORS HAVE charged five people in connection with the death of Friends star Matthew Perry.

Among them are two medical doctors, Perry’s live-in assistant, a dealer nicknamed “Ketamine Queen” and a broker.

It was known that Perry struggled with addiction, and the defendants “took advantage” of him.

“They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr Perry, but they did it anyways,” said US Attorney Martin Estrada.

In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr Perry than caring for his well-being.

Perry was found unconscious underwater in a hot tub at his house in October 2023.

First responders were unable to revive him, and an initial post-mortem proved inconclusive, pending a toxicology report.

While only small amounts were found in his stomach, a high level was detected in his bloodstream.

In December, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office determined that the death was accidental.

“Contributing factors in Mr. Perry’s death include drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine (used to treat opioid use disorder),” they said in a statement.

Just how the actor – who had reportedly not had a supervised infusion session for several days – obtained the drug became the subject of a legal investigation, with Los Angeles police confirming in May that they were probing the death.

Doctors and veterinarians often employ ketamine as an anesthetic. It is understood Perry initially sought it to treat depression and anxiety. 

‘A way to make quick money’

A Drug Enforcement Administrator said today that Perry became addicted to intravenous ketamine at a local clinic.

“When clinic doctors refused to increase his dosage, he turned to unscrupulous doctors who saw Perry as a way to make quick money.”

One of the doctors charged, Salvador Plasencia, faces up to 120 years in prison. He is charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation.

According to the superseding indictment unsealed today, in late September 2023, Plasencia learned that Perry, a successful actor whose history of drug addiction was well-documented, was interested in obtaining ketamine. 

After learning about Perry’s interest in ketamine, Plasencia allegedly contacted Mark Chavez – another doctor who previously operated a ketamine clinic – to obtain ketamine to sell to Perry.

In text messages to Chavez, Plasencia discussed how much to charge Perry for the ketamine, stating, “I wonder how much this moron will pay” and “Lets [sic] find out.”

Chavez agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. He also admitted in his plea agreement to selling ketamine to Plasencia, including ketamine that he had diverted from his former ketamine clinic.

Chavez is also charged with obtaining additional ketamine to transfer to Plasencia by making false representations to a wholesale ketamine distributor and by submitting a fraudulent prescription in the name of a former patient without that patient’s knowledge or consent.

Dominic Joy, chief of Los Angeles Police Department said today that he is glad these “dangerous individuals” are no longer on the streets and “won’t be able to harm anyone else”.

“I just really want want people to know that that is the message. You cannot get away this, regardless of your background or associate economic status, breaking the laws, breaking the law, and you are dangerous and you are jeopardising lives.”

With reporting by AFP